Psalm 32:2“Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against
him and in whose spirit is no deceit [guile].” Jesus said
John 1:47
that Nathanael was an Israelite, “in whom is no guile;”—“Here comes an
honest man.” Those who enter God’s kingdom
Revelation 14:5“In their
mouth was found no guile [deceit; or dishonesty]: for they are without fault
before the throne of God.”

God
requires our loyalty concerning faith in Him, so we must make an honest
evaluation of our trust on His divine power through the Atonement Blood of
His Son. Just speaking about faith in God, but
not obeying what His
Word teaches, is deceptive. James 1:22“Be ye doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving your own selves;” because
James 2:26,
“faith
without works is dead.”

A
righteous standing in the sight of God comes only
by combining our belief in
the resurrection power of Christ, with acting in faith on the divine power
of God. James 2:22 Abraham’s
“faith was co-operating with his actions,
and that by his actions his faith was perfected.” Our faith in God
must be perfected—not divided among other plans, policies, or prescriptions.
Matthew 5:48“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect.”

Making
an honest assessment of our faith in God, is being willing to see our
spiritual condition in light of His Word. We must be truly trusting
God in faith, to receive answers to prayer. There are only two classes
of people in the world—those who are willing
to be spiritually honest before
God, and those who are not willing to be shown spiritual requirements.
John 12:46“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me
should not abide in darkness.”

We may
think that we are making an honest effort to trust God, but may also be
justifying ourselves and placing the blame on
God. The devil tries to
convince us that we are doing our best, so something else is the problem.
A dishonest spiritual assessment will hinder the spiritual
light and the
answer to prayer God
wants to give us.

Being honest spiritually is asking ourselves if we
are hindering the
answer to prayer that God wants to give. God is always right, so there
has to be a spiritual lack in
us. If we will be honest with ourselves,
and take an attitude of humility before God, He promises to give the
spiritual wisdom we need to meet a situation right, or to receive an answer
to prayer. Psalm 51:4“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done
what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and
justified when you judge.”

If we
are willing to forget any preconceived ideas and be open to divine light,
God will surely show us any hindrance.
Ephesians 5:13-14“Everything
can be tested by the light and thus be shown in its true colors; for
whatever shines of itself is light. For this reason it is said, ‘Rise,
sleeper; rise from among the dead, and Christ will shed light upon you.’”

The
Holy Spirit is ready to enlighten our mind to understand spiritual truth, if
we are willing to make an honest assessment of our faith.
1
Corinthians 2:12“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the
Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely
given to us by God.” The spiritual benefits of the Atonement of Christ
are waiting to be given.

We
must always be alert to deception, because Satan can deceive us into seeing
things opposite to what God’s Word says. An honest assessment of our
attitude toward God, will bring spiritual wisdom
from God. It is a
promise James 1:5“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives
to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Our responsibility is to be spiritually honest
and place the blame on our
own spiritual
condition.

The
Bible gives examples of honesty in spiritual matters. The two
criminals crucified with Jesus show two opposite attitudes. They were
both in the worst situation anyone could be in; but one was honest and the
other was not. One was willing to admit that his
own sins caused
him
to be in that horrible situation—the other wasn’t. The first one
blamed himself—not God.

These
two criminals were at the very gate of Hell, and only one thing stood
between them and the fire—a change of attitude! One was honest before
God and changed his attitude—which enabled God to change his direction to
Heaven. The other criminal justified himself, blamed Jesus, and went
to Hell forever and ever. Only an attitude change separated the two
men—only an attitude separates
Heaven from Hell!

Making
an honest judgment of our attitudes, and being open to spiritual
light, is a
salvation issue. The only difference between them and their opposite
fate, was their attitude toward God. That
is recorded for our
spiritual benefit and our preparation for the Kingdom.
Luke 23:39“Now
one of the criminals who had been crucified insulted Him, saying, ‘Are not
you the Christ? Save yourself and us.’” The devil caused that
man to take that attitude.

40“But the other, answering, reproved him. ‘Do you also not fear God,’
he said, ‘when you are actually suffering the same punishment?” We are
at the jaws of death, he meant, and yet you show no fear of God! How
can you have that rebellious attitude when you are facing eternity!
This is valuable spiritual light for everyone today.

The
man who reproved the other had the right attitude, and said
Luke 23:41“We
indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving due requital for what we
have done. But [Jesus] has done nothing amiss.” If God can find
one soul anywhere in the world who will take that
attitude, and be open to
spiritual light, He would give it. It would enable them to
Romans
12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what God’s will is.”

The
honesty of the man’s prayer showed the
sincerity of his heart—Luke 23:42,
“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” He would be
acquitted and justified by his faith in Christ. It was a humble
attitude and an honest prayer—like Luke 18:13“God, have mercy on me, a
sinner.” Jesus answered that man’s prayer, and promised Paradise
Luke
23:43, “Verily I say to thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

It is the same promise of Luke 18:14“I tell you, this man went down to
his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself
will be humbled, and he who humbles himself [by making an honest spiritual
judgment] will be exalted.” Our words are vitally important;
Matthew
12:37“For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will
be condemned.”

These
examples are for us today, and they show how important it is to be humble,
repentant, and ready to change wrong attitudes. The man with humility
and a willing heart, was given eternal life—just by reversing his attitude
toward God. He went from no faith to
complete trust. One man
will suffer the tortures of Hell forever, and the other will praise God
through the endless ages of eternity in Heaven. What a contrast
between an honest and a rebellious heart!

John
the Baptist recognized spiritual pretense. The scribes and Pharisees
looked religious, but their hearts were rebellious. If those Pharisees
were here today, most denominational churches would consider them Christians
on their way to Heaven, because they do not recognize the rebellious
attitude in their own heart—much less in someone else. Outward piety
does not justify our sins, but a genuine inward faith in the Atonement of
Christ does.

The
religious leaders in the first century looked
pious, and they tried to
follow their laws and traditions. They were careful not to carry a
carpet, nor light a fire on the Sabbath. Jesus said that such people
appeared righteous Matthew 23:27“Woe to you, teachers of the law and
Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look
beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and
everything unclean.”

They
wanted to be baptized, but John the Baptist was enlightened to see their
hypocrisy. Luke 3:7“Then to the multitude that came forth to be
baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from
the wrath to come?” He was calling them children of the devil, which
was what they were, because they wanted John to think
they were sincere in
trusting God, when they were not.

They
were hypocrites because they were not willing to admit they had no
conversion of heart—a heart that would accept God’s Son. A
generation
of vipers would mean they were descendants of that wicked serpent who
deceived Adam. Jesus said Luke 20:46“Beware of the Scribes” who look
pious on the outside, but are wicked on the
inside.

John
knew their real intentions so he had to warn them of God’s wrath. They
had no intention of accepting Christ as their Savior, and they had
no willingness to trust God for anything—but they wanted to be baptized.
John said Luke 3:8“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

They were not willing to change, so he told them—Do not just profess
faith, but actively show that you are trusting God, and living by faith in
the Atonement sacrifice of His Son. It was a strong rebuke—but just
what they needed.

If there was ever an issue where spiritual honesty is needed, it is when
our eternal life is at stake. John spoke the
truth in loveEphesians
4:15 and said Luke 3:9“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and
every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into
the fire.” John was just telling them where they
were spiritually—in
the sight of God.

A logger places the ax against the tree when he stops for lunch, with the
intention of cutting down that tree next. God has already placed an ax
at the feet of those who are not producing spiritual fruit, because they are
not trusting Him in believing faith, for—healing without drugs, for
protection without guns, for justice without lawyers, for provisions without
welfare, and for every other issue that involves faith in God.

If the
religious leaders would have been spiritually honest, and had truly
repented, God would have done as much for them, as He would for anyone else.
From what the Bible records, they did not repent, and they continued to be
controlled by the devil, so they would find themselves in the flames and
pleading for relief. Being honest—spiritually is a
salvation issue.